Page:Triangles of life, and other stories.djvu/256

 dice, and headin' 'em. They had lost sight of each other for two or three years, and it had been whispered that Bob had been in trouble, but for "nothin' bad." But it wasn't whispered in Jim's presence, for he was always over-eager to fight where Bob's name was concerned.

But there came a man, or a chap, to the shed where Bob and Jim shore or rather, a cove, in the vague sense of the term. Some of the chaps referred to him as "a ———." Call him Cooney. Cooney was short and stout, or rather fat, where some men would be called burly, or nuggety. He had, where it showed through holes in his rags, the unhealthy pallid fatness of the tramp or gaol-bird who hasn't worked for a long time. He had no moustache, but stubble nearly all over his fce. He had no proper swag, just a roll of rags on a string; he had no water-bag, only a billy. To the surprise of some, Bob recognized him and went and spoke to him. And Bob gave him tobacco, and spoke to the boss over the board, and got him on picking up in the place of a rouse-about who was leaving.

Jim was greatly disgusted, for Cooney was picking up for him and Bob and three others, and was no good. "We'll cut out in a week or so, and he'll get into it," said Bob. "Give the man a show." Jim and mates grumbled, but mateship forbore to ask Bob's reasons for sticking to the ——. It was the etiquette of mateship. But Cooney, who was short of something in his head, and got worse, instead of better, though Bob helped him all he could, and Cooney had to be put off when an old hand turned up. But Bob stuck to him,